Sanitary mouthpiece for telephone-transmitters



W. H. PALMER. SANITARY MOUTHPIECE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-18,1920.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. PALMER,

Pg ENT OFFiCE.

or CLEVELAND, onro.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application filed September 18, 1920. Serial No. 411,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Mouthpieces for Telephone-Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has for its object the provision of a sanitary mouth piece embodying a member susceptible of expeditious removal from a transmitter and adapted to be boiled without injury and to be then as readily attached to the transmitter for use in conjunction therewith.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, hereby made a part hereof Figure 1 is a view showing my novel mouth piece in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a diametrical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view of the removable member of the mouth piece.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified removable member hereinafter explicitly referred to.

Similar numerals designate corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 3 to which reference will first be made.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 my improvement comprises an exteriorly threaded nipple 1 of metal which is of annular form and is provided at its outer end with a peripheral flange 2. Surrounding the threaded portion of the nipple 1 and abutting against the flange 2 is an annulus 3 on which are outwardly reaching resilient fingers 4 having inwardly directed terminals as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In combination with the annulus carrying the fingers 4 I employ a removable bell-shaped member 5 of glass, porcelain or any other material or composition that is adapted to be immersed in hot water or otherwise sterilized without being in any degree injured by the sterilizing operation. The said removable member is preferably characterized by a foraminous diaphragm 6, though said diaphragm is not of the essence of my invention. In accordance with my invention the removable member 5 is provided -at its inner end with a circumferential flange 7 that is shaped in cross section, 2'. 6., beveled lengthwise of the member 5, in such manner that with little stress the flange may be pressed into engagement and pulled out of engagement with the said terminals of the fingers 4.

I would also have it understood that the fingers 4 are of such character as to exert yielding pressure against the removable member when the same is associated with the annulus 3 so that there is no liability of the removable member 5 becoming loose or rattling when in use.

It will be manifest from the foregoing that when necessary the removable member 5 by the application of little stress thereon may be quickly pulled out of engagement with the fingers 4, and that after being sterilized the said removable member 5 may be as expeditiously and easily pressed into engagement with the fingers 4 so as to be securely held thereby. From this it follows that but little time is required for the removal and replacing of the member 5 and that the assistance of tools is entirely unnecessary. 1

At 8 is a small piece of medicated gauze which I prefer to employ between the annulus 3 and the member 5, particularly when the improvement is located in a sick room or hospital, this with a view to rendering the device germ-proof.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the flange 7 on the removable member 5 is provided at intervals of its length with. longitudinally-disposed grooves 8 corresponding in number to the fingers 4 on the annulus 3. By virtue of this provision it will be noted that when the grooves 8 of the flange 7 are alined with the fingers 4, the flange may be more readily pressed into engagement with the fingers 4 and then by turning the removable member through a small part of a circle the fingers 4 may be made to engage and tightly hold the ungrooved portions of the flange 7 This will have the effect of increasing the tension on the fingers 4 and rendering the connection tight.

In addition to the practical advantages ascribed of my novel mouth piece it will be noted that the mouth piece is simple and inexpensive and is adapted to last quite as long as the ordinary mouth piece.

with telephone transmitters, the combina' tion of annular means designed for connection to a transmitter and equipped with straight spaced spring fingers on which are lnwardly deflected terminals, of a removable member havlng a circumferential flange V at one end the periphery of which-is bevdesire to secure by Letters-c eled toward said end, whereby the flange is adapted to be pressed into and pulled out of engagement with the terminals of the spring fingers, and also having a circumferential grooverimmediately'in front of said flange, the said flange having longitudinailydisplaced grooves in its periphery to receive the fingers when the mouth piece is moved rectilinearly between the lingers."

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. PALMER. 

